Inflating device

ABSTRACT

An inflating device includes: a main body; an outer cylinder disposed movably within the main body and defining a first air chamber therebetween; an inner cylinder disposed movably within the outer cylinder and defining a second air chamber therebetween; a switching structure including a slide unit disposed slidably to move in leftwise and rightwise directions and upward and downward directions within a recessed chamber of the outer cylinder; and a hand extends slidably and axially through the slide unit in such a manner for optionally engaging the periphery defining a circular hole in the slide unit such that sliding action of the slide unit in the recessed chamber in the leftwise and rightwise direction and axial movement of the handle and the inner cylinder with respect to the outer cylinder serves as large and small pump units.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to an inflating device, and more particularly to an inflating device including a small pump unit and a large pump unit for optionally inflating an inflatable article.

2. The Prior Arts

As we all know, an inflating device is widely used in our daily life for inflating an inflatable article, like a tire of a bicycle, a motorbike and a basket ball, thereby providing much convenience to the people. It is noted that when the article to be inflated is in an entirely flat condition, a large pump unit should be applied since the same can provide high injection pressure. When the inflatable article is nearly full, a small pump unit should be applied since no high injection pressure is needed and the high injection pressure can result in undesired puncture of the article being inflated. In other words, large and small pump units are needed to facilitate inflation of an article and are beneficial that an inflating device possesses these large and same pump units at the same time. However, the conventional inflating device provides only a constant injection pressure, either large or small injection pressure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary objective of the present invention is to provide an inflating device including a small pump unit, a large pump unit integrally formed with the small pump unit and a switching structure for optionally switching into the small pump unit or the large pump unit so as to facilitate and bring convenience to the user of the inflating device of the present invention.

An inflating device in accordance with the present invention includes: a main body, an outer cylinder, an inner cylinder, a handle, an inflating tube and a switching structure.

The main body has a bottom seat, an upper end and a top cover mounted on and shielding the upper end of the main body. The top cover defines a first circular hole and a first air inlet.

The outer cylinder is disposed movably within the main body and defines a first air chamber between in the main body and the outer cylinder. The first air chamber is in spatial communication with the first air inlet in the top cover. The outer cylinder has a lower portion slidably contacting with an inner surface of the main body and an upper portion that extends through the first circular hole in the top cover and that defines a second circular hole, a recessed chamber above the second circular hole, a second air inlet and a pair of first notches at two diametric sides of the recessed chamber.

The inner cylinder is disposed movably within the outer cylinder and defines a second air chamber between the inner and outer cylinders. The second air chamber is in spatial communication with the second air inlet of the outer cylinder. The inner cylinder has a lower portion slidably contacting with an inner surface of the outer body and is formed with a one-way valve, and an upper portion that extends through the second circular hole of the outer cylinder.

The handle has an air outlet and a lower portion for coupling with the upper portion of the inner cylinder and is formed with an engagement groove.

The inflating tube is connected securely with the air outlet of the handle.

The switching structure is provided for switching between large and small pressures, or large pump unit and small pump unit. The switching structure includes a slide unit disposed slidably to leftwise and rightwise directions and upward and downward directions within the recessed chamber of the outer cylinder and defining a third circular hole and having two opposite pulling portions, and a press cover mounted on the upper portion of the outer cylinder so as to cover the slide unit and the recessed chamber. The press cover has a fourth circular hole in alignment with the third circular hole in the slide unit and a pair of second notches in alignment with the first notches and permitting extension of the pulling portions of the slide unit through the first notches of the recessed chamber and the second notches of the press cover.

Preferably, the slide unit includes a slide plate having two opposite ends, from which the pulling portions extend outwardly inclinedly with respect to the slide plate and two lateral sides interconnecting the opposite ends and are formed with two protrusions. The recessed chamber has a bottom surface defining a sliding passage to permit sliding action of the slide plate in the leftwise and rightwise directions. The sliding passage is confined by two parallel side surfaces formed with a pair of restricting notches such that the protrusions respectively extend into the restricting notches to alternately engage two opposite ends of a respective one of the restricting notches when the slide plate slides within the sliding passage in the leftwise and rightwise directions. The slide unit further includes a pair of finger-grips respectively and upwardly extending from distal ends of said pulling portions to facilitate manipulation of said pulling portions in the leftwise and rightwise directions.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the recessed chamber further has two restricting posts mounted erectly on the bottom surface of the sliding passage. The slide plate is formed with a pair of slide limit slots to permit extension of the two restricting posts in order to restriction sliding action of the slide plate in the leftwise and rightwise directions.

Preferably, the top cover further defines an annular inner edge at a bottom side thereof. The slide plate has an extension portion below one of the pulling portions. One of the first notches is configured to permit extension of the extension portion of the slide plate prior to extending into the annular inner edge of the top cover.

Preferably, the second air inlet of the outer cylinder is formed through the bottom surface of the sliding passage, and is constituted by a plurality of elongated slots and a plurality of notches formed along the periphery defining the second circular hole of the outer cylinder.

Preferably, the first air inlet is constituted by a plurality of minor air inlets formed around a section of an outer periphery confining the top cover.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the press cover has a bottom side surface formed with two pairs of connection posts for mounting on the upper portion of the outer cylinder and a pair of confining curved plates interconnecting the pairs of connection posts so as to restrict sliding action of the slide unit in the leftwise and rightwise directions and the upward and downward directions within the recessed chamber.

Preferably, the one-way valve at the lower portion of the inner cylinder is constituted by an air aperture formed through the lower portion of the inner cylinder and a floating shield floatingly covering the air aperture in a normal condition. The lower portion of said inner cylinder further has a lowermost surface with the air aperture being located at an elevation above and extending through the lowermost surface while the floating shield is disposed within the inner cylinder for floatingly covering the air aperture.

Preferably, the lower portions of the inner and outer cylinders are respectively formed with an annular recess, in which, a seal ring is disposed to sealingly contact the respective inner surface of the main body and the outer cylinder.

Preferably, the press cover has an external wall surface formed with a plurality of grip-portions to facilitate gripping of the press cover during mounting of the press cover on the upper portion of the outer cylinder.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the lower portion of the handle extends slidably and axially through the fourth circular hole in the press cover and the third circular hole in the slide unit for securely coupled to the upper portion of the inner cylinder in such a manner that the engagement groove selectively engaging the periphery defining the third circular hole in the slide unit. Note that once the slide unit is moved to the leftwise direction in the slide passage, the first air inlet of the top cover is shielded, so that the inflating device of the present invention provides a small injection pressure upon operation of the handle. In the same manner, once the slide unit is moved to the rightwise direction in the slide passage, the first air inlet of the top cover is exposed to the atmosphere; the inflating device of the present invention provides a large injection pressure upon operation of the handle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an inflating device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded and perspective view of the inflating device of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the inflating device of the present invention, where some portions are enlarged to clarify its structure condition such that the inflating device of the present invention serves as a small pump unit;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the inflating device of the present invention, where some portions are enlarged to clarify its structure condition such that the inflating device of the present invention serves as a large pump unit;

FIG. 5 illustrates how a slide unit is mounted on an upper portion of an outer cylinder employed in the inflating device of the present invention;

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the upper portion of the outer cylinder employed in the inflating device of the present invention;

FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of the slide unit mounted on the upper portion of the outer cylinder employed in the inflating device of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective bottom view of a press cover employed in the inflating device of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, wherein FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an inflating device of the present invention; and FIG. 2 is an exploded and perspective view of the inflating device of the present invention. As shown, an inflating device of the present invention includes a main body 10, an outer cylinder 20, an inner cylinder 30, an operating handle 40, an inflating tube 50 and a switching structure 60.

The main body 10 has a bottom seat 11, an upper end and a top cover 12 mounted on and shielding the upper end of the main body 10. The top cover 12 defines a first circular hole 121 and a first air inlet 122. Preferably, the top cover 12 further has a bottom side formed with an annular inner edge 123, the purpose of which will be discussed later. In this embodiment, the first air inlet 122 is constituted by a plurality of minor air inlets formed around a section of an outer periphery confining the top cover 12 and are located adjacent to the left first notch 211 of the recessed chamber 21.

The outer cylinder 20 is disposed movably within the main body 10 and defines a first air chamber 70 between in the main body 10 and the outer cylinder 20. The first air chamber 70 is in spatial communication with the first air inlet 122 in the top cover 12. The outer cylinder 20 has a lower portion 90 slidably contacting with an inner surface of the main body 10 and an upper portion that extends through the first circular hole 121 in the top cover 12 and that defines a second circular hole 23, a recessed chamber 21 above the second circular hole 23, a second air inlet 22 and a pair of first notches 211, 212 at two diametric sides of the recessed chamber 21. The recessed chamber 21 has a bottom surface defining a sliding passage 213, which is confined by two parallel side surfaces formed with a pair of restricting notches 2131, the purpose of which will be given in the following. Note that in this embodiment, the second air inlet 22 is formed through the bottom surface of the sliding passage 213, and is constituted by a plurality of elongated slots 221 and a plurality of notches 222 formed along the periphery defining the second circular hole 23 of the outer cylinder 20 (see FIG. 6).

The inner cylinder 30 is disposed movably within the outer cylinder 20 and defines a second air chamber 80 between the inner and outer cylinders 30, 20. The second air chamber 80 is in spatial communication with the second air inlet 22 of the outer cylinder 20. The inner cylinder 30 has a lower portion 90 slidably contacting with an inner surface of the outer body 20 and is formed with a one-way valve 31, and an upper portion that extends through the second circular hole 23 of the outer cylinder 20. Preferably, the one-way valve 31 is constituted by an air aperture 311 formed through the lower portion of the inner cylinder 30 and a floating shield 312 floatingly covering the air aperture 311. In this embodiment, the lower portions 90 of the inner and outer cylinders 30, 20 are respectively formed with an annular recess 91, in which, a seal ring 92 is disposed to sealingly contact the respective inner surface of the main body 10 and the outer cylinder 20. Note that the lower portion of the inner cylinder 30 further has a lowermost surface with the air aperture 311 being located at an elevation above and extending through the lowermost surface while the floating shield 312 is disposed within the inner cylinder 30 for floatingly covering the air aperture 311.

The handle 40 has an air outlet 41 and a lower portion for coupling with the upper portion of the inner cylinder 30 and is formed with an engagement groove 42, the purpose of which will be given in the following.

The inflating tube 50 is connected securely with the air outlet 41 of the handle 40.

The switching structure 60 is provided for switching between large and small pressures, or large pump unit and small pump unit. The switching structure 60 includes a slide unit 61 (see FIG. 7) disposed slidably to leftwise and rightwise directions and upward and downward directions within the recessed chamber 21 of the outer cylinder 20 and defines a third circular hole 615 and having two opposite pulling portions 612, and a press cover 62 (see FIG. 8) mounted on the upper portion of the outer cylinder 30 so as to cover the recessed chamber 21 and the slide unit 61 to prevent upward movement of the slide unit 61 but permitting limited upward and downward movement of the slide unit 61 within the recessed chamber 213. Preferably, the slide unit 61 includes a slide plate 611 having two opposite ends, from which the pulling portions 612 extend outwardly inclinedly with respect to the slide plate 611 and two lateral sides interconnecting the opposite ends and are formed with two protrusions 613. To be more specific, the recessed chamber 21 has a bottom surface defining a sliding passage 213, in which, the slide plate 611 is disposed to slide in the leftwise and rightwise directions. The sliding passage 213 is confined by two parallel side surfaces formed with a pair of restricting notches 2131 such that the protrusions 613 of the slide plate 611 respectively extend into the restricting notches 2131 to alternately engage two opposite ends of a respective one of the restricting notches 2131 when the slide plate 611 slides within the sliding passage 213 in the leftwise and rightwise directions. The press cover 62 has a fourth circular hole 621 in alignment with the third circular hole 615 in the slide plate 611 and a pair of second notches 622 at the outer periphery of the press cover 62 in alignment with the first notches 211, 212 of the recessed chamber 21 and permitting extension of the pulling portions 612 of the slide plate 611 through the first notches 211, 212 of the recessed chamber 21 and the second notches 622 of the press cover 62. Note that the slide unit 61 further includes a pair of finger-grips 617 respectively and upwardly extend from distal ends of the pulling portions 612 to facilitate manipulation of the pulling portions 612 in the leftwise and rightwise directions by a user's finger.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the recessed chamber 21 further has two restricting posts 2132 (see FIG. 6) mounted erectly on the bottom surface of the sliding passage 213. The slide plate 611 is formed with a pair of slide limit slots 614 to permit extension of the two restricting posts 2132 in order to restriction sliding action of the slide plate 611 in the leftwise and rightwise directions.

Preferably, the slide plate 611 has an extension portion 616 below one of the pulling portions 612. One of the first notches 212 (see FIG. 6) is configured to permit extension of the extension portion 616 of the slide plate 611 prior to extending into the annular inner edge 123 of the top cover 12. In other words, the notch 212 has a width larger than the notch 211 to permit extension of the extension of the slide plate 611 when the latter sides in the leftwise direction for covering the first air inlet 122 of the top cover 12, the purpose of which is further explained in the following paragraphs.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the press cover 62 has a bottom side surface formed with two pairs of connection posts 623 for mounting on the upper portion of the outer cylinder 20 and a pair of confining curved plates 624 interconnecting the pairs of connection posts 623 so as to restrict sliding action of the slide plate 611 in the leftwise and rightwise directions and in the upward and downward directions within the recessed chamber 21, which in turn, provides stable sliding action of the slide plate 611 in the leftwise and rightwise directions, and along upward and downward movement of the slide plate 611 in the recess chamber 21. In addition, the press cover 62 has an external wall surface formed with a plurality of grip-portions 625 to facilitate gripping of the press cover 62 during mounting of the press cover 62 on the upper portion of the outer cylinder 20 or dismantling therefrom.

In this embodiment of the present invention, the lower portion of the handle 40 extends slidably and axially through the fourth circular hole 621 in the press cover 62 and the third circular hole 615 in the slide plate 611 for securely coupled to the upper portion of the inner cylinder 30 in such a manner that the engagement groove 42 selectively engaging the periphery defining the third circular hole 615 in the slide plate 611.

To further understand the saddle fastening device of the present invention, please see the following paragraphs.

As best shown in FIG. 3, note that once the slide plate 611 is moved to the leftwise direction in the slide passage 213, the inner periphery confining the third circular hole 615 in the slide plate 611 disengages from the engagement grove 42 of the handle 40 while the extension portion 616 of the slide plate 611 covers the first air inlet 122 of the top cover 12 and the second air inlet 22 of the outer cylinder 20 is exposed to the atmosphere (permitting air to enter the second air chamber 80) so that the inflating device of the present invention provides a small injection pressure upon downward movement of the handle 40 together with the inner cylinder 30 with respect to the outer cylinder 20 and the main body 10. In other words, the inflating device of the present invention serves as a small pump unit.

Referring to FIG. 4, in the same manner, once the slide plate 611 is moved to the rightwise direction in the slide passage 213 so as to permit engagement of the inner periphery defining the third circular hole 615 in the slide plate 611 with the engagement groove 42 of the handle 40, permitting upward movement of the handle 40 together with the slide plate 611 and exposing the first air inlet 122 of the top cover 12 to the atmosphere (permitting air to enter the first air chamber 70), the inflating device of the present invention provides a large injection pressure upon downward movement of the handle 40 together with the inner cylinder 30 with respect to the inner cylinder 20 and the main body 10. In other words, the inflating device of the present invention serves as a large pump unit.

An important aspect to note that since the inflating device of the present invention can be switched between two different modes, the inflating ability thereof is enhanced. The user can optionally switch to a desired mode according to the circumstance requires.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An inflating device comprising: a main body having a bottom seat, an upper end and a top cover mounted and shielding said upper end of said main body, said top cover defining a first circular hole and a first air inlet; an outer cylinder disposed movably within said main body and defining a first air chamber therebetween in spatial communication with said first air inlet in said top cover, said outer cylinder having a lower portion slidably contacting with an inner surface of said main body and an upper portion that extends through said first circular hole in said top cover and that defines a second circular hole, a recessed chamber above said second circular hole, a second air inlet and a pair of first notches at two diametric sides of said recessed chamber; an inner cylinder disposed movably within said outer cylinder and defining a second air chamber therebetween in spatial communication with said second air inlet of said outer cylinder, said inner cylinder having a lower portion slidably contacting with an inner surface of said outer body and formed with a one-way valve, and an upper portion that extends through said second circular hole of said outer cylinder; a handle having an air outlet and a lower portion for coupling with said upper portion of said inner cylinder and formed with an engagement groove; an inflating tube connected securely with said air outlet of said handle; and a switching structure for switching between large and small pressures, including a slide unit disposed slidably to leftwise and rightwise directions and defining a third circular hole and having two opposite pulling portions, and a press cover mounted on said upper portion of said outer cylinder so as to cover said recessed chamber and said slide unit and permitting limited upward and downward movement of the slide unit within said recessed chamber, said press cover having a fourth circular hole in alignment with said third circular hole in said slide unit and a pair of second notches in alignment with said first notches and permitting extension of said pulling portions of said slide unit through said first notches of said recessed chamber and said second notches of said press cover; wherein, said lower portion of said handle extends slidably and axially through said fourth circular hole in said press cover and said third circular hole in said slide unit for securely coupled to said upper portion of said inner cylinder in such a manner that said engagement groove selectively engaging the periphery defining said third circular hole.
 2. The inflating device according to claim 1, wherein said slide unit includes a slide plate having two opposite ends from which said pulling portions extend outwardly inclinedly with respect to said slide plate and two lateral sides interconnecting said opposite ends and formed with protrusions, said recessed chamber having a bottom surface defining a sliding passage to permit sliding action of said slide plate in said leftwise and rightwise directions, said sliding passage being confined by two parallel side surfaces formed with a pair of restricting notches such that said protrusions respectively extend into said restricting notches to alternately engage two opposite ends of a respective one of said restricting notches when said slide plate slides within said sliding passage in said leftwise and rightwise directions, said slide unit further including a pair of finger-grips respectively and upwardly extending from distal ends of said pulling portions to facilitate manipulation of said pulling portions in said leftwise and rightwise directions.
 3. The inflating device according to claim 2, wherein said recessed chamber further has two restricting posts mounted erectly on said bottom surface of said sliding passage, said slide plate being formed with a pair of slide limit slots to permit extension of said two restricting posts in order to restriction sliding action of said slide plate in said leftwise and rightwise directions.
 4. The inflating device according to claim 2, wherein said top cover further defines an annular inner edge at a bottom side thereof, said slide plate having an extension portion below one of said pulling portions, one of said first notches being configured to permit extension of said extension portion prior to extending into said annular inner edge of said top cover.
 5. The inflating device according to claim 2, wherein said second air inlet of said outer cylinder is formed through said bottom surface of said sliding passage, and is constituted by a plurality of elongated slots and a plurality of notches formed along the periphery defining said second circular hole of said outer cylinder.
 6. The inflating device according to claim 2, wherein said first air inlet is constituted by a plurality of minor air inlets formed around a section of an outer periphery confining said top cover.
 7. The inflating device according to claim 1, wherein said press cover has a bottom side surface formed with two pairs of connection posts for mounting on said upper portion of said outer cylinder and a pair of confining curved plates interconnecting said pairs of connection posts so as to restrict sliding action of said slide unit in said leftwise and rightwise directions and said upward and downward directions within said recessed chamber.
 8. The inflating device according to claim 1, wherein said one-way valve is constituted by an air aperture formed through said lower portion of said inner cylinder and a floating shield floatingly covering said air aperture, said lower portion of said inner cylinder further having a lowermost surface with said air aperture being located at an elevation above and extending through said lowermost surface while said floating shield is disposed within said inner cylinder for floatingly covering said air aperture.
 9. The inflating device according to claim 1, wherein said lower portions of said inner and outer cylinders are respectively formed with an annular recess, in which, a seal ring is disposed to sealingly contact the respective inner surface of said main body and said outer cylinder.
 10. The inflating device according to claim 1, wherein said press cover has an external wall surface formed with a plurality of grip-portions to facilitate gripping of said press cover during mounting of said press cover on said upper portion of said outer cylinder. 